Wednesday, August 13, 2008

A Sunflower Smile!

I declare the magnificent sunflower Summer's official flower. These huge flower cluster beauties are growing abundantly in our vegetable garden. The bees were happily pollinating among the large heads, not disturbed by my presence at all. The stunning, vibrant yellow pedals make them a favorite for arrangements and flowerbeds alike.

Sunflower seeds make an excellent snack for humans, and also used as bird food. Sunflowers are made into peanut butter, or sunbutter. Sunflower oil is used for cooking, made into magarine, and used to make biodiesel. Some sunflowers are even higher in monounsaturated (healthy) fats than the ever popular olive oil.

I counted 18 flowers growing from one sunflower plant in our garden above.

I can't help but smile when I look upon the cheery petals of a sunflower. Artist Vicent van Gogh made the sunflower popular in his manysunflower paintings. I see sunflowers sold in several stores, and we have them growing here free every year. The seeds fall off naturally and are tilled for the next summer season. Amusing to watch the birds eat from the seed clusters, pecking in all kinds of positions. This year I plan to dry the seeds to make for snacks, and save a batch for bird food in the winter.

Jo, gorgeous sunflowers! I love them, too. The first time I grew one I was only in grade school, but the fascination started there. I planted the seed not knowing what it was, and voila! Imagine my surprise!

Dear Jo, Thank you. I hope this may be helpful to you.Positive Parenting

 Being a parent is both the hardest and most wonderful thing you will do in your life.  Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. ---Robert Fulghum Insanity is hereditary—we get it from our children.

Parents are generally the most important people in a child’s life. My favorite book on parenting is , Everyday Parents Raising Great Kids, by James D. MacArthur. Listed below are a few suggestions for helping your family.

 Set clear goals for yourself and your family As a parent, the overall goal is to be a positive, competent force in a child’s life. 1.Be involved 2. Be open—talk to them in a way that will help them talk to you when they need to, so that includes being willing to listen. 3. Be Firm/Set Limits  4. Be together 5. Be Kind 6. Be fun—joke and play with your children

 1. Set or define your goals 2. What is a healthy family? 3. Evaluate your family 4. Have family discussion time 5. Have family council meetings  6. Rate your relationships with each child on a scale of one to ten. 7. What are you writing on your child’s blackboard? 8. Talk or write about your family of origin

Brainstorm as a family ways you can pull together as a team.

My advice is to pray a lot. Teenagers do grow up, they do change and two people can do anything as long as one of them is the Lord. Over the years, I had seven teenagers and even more step-children. The UnGame is a great game to share feelings.

One of the reason why i love this flower because every time i see this flower it makes my day blooming and i feel the beauty and diligent of our Mother Nature.I want to see its huge petal flower especially when i wake up in the morning.

Max Lab/Shepherd Mix~ St Clairsville, OH~ Adopted 2-5-11

About Me

I'm an online network correspondent for urgent animals, and have helped to find rescue for many dogs pictured on my blog! Getting their stories out there, and saving their lives is extremely gratifying to my soul!
A woman possessing many passions. I wake everyday and find thousands of reasons to stay firmly planted on this awesome earth. Life's beauty captivates my photography, and my love for poetry and writing has followed me since my teens!
A hopeless romantic, dreamer, rebel, nature enthusiast, stargazer, and ardent advocate for any cause I've a passion for. Crusading for a day in which violent hate crimes, child abuse, and animal abuse are eradicated from the world forever! Blog writing is a newfound gateway to document my everyday life, using my writing and photography to speak for the innocent and feature stories which are close to my heart. A published Poet, freelance writer, photographer, network correspondent for urgent animals, animal advocate, and consumer advocate. I've been a member of "The PEN," The Poetry Explosion Newsletter ~ The Poet Band Company of Pittsburgh since 2002. My blog is an extention of my life inspiring writing and photography passions.

Pages

Eldad Hagar Rescues Chase On Her Day To Be Euthanized! Amazing Video Of Dog Behavioural Awareness!

I had the pleasure of coming in contact with Eldad Hagar through facebook and through all of our animal related posts and contacts. Eldad appears in this and other videos rescueing dogs who are to be euthanized. Most of these dogs are abused and terribly afraid of human contact. All the dogs need is alittle love and to be able to trust again, most importantly a second chance! Eldad Hagar is their only chance, and he's the founder of Hope for Paws a rescue for homeless, abused, and injured animals in the Los Angeles, California Area! I stand in awe of his work, and I'm inspired by Chase and Eldad to feature more awareness for the animal shelter cause, especially for dogs on death row. Chase is awaiting a new home!

Virginia~ ADOPTED ~ Houndog Yellow Lab Mix, Elizabethtown, N. C.

Virginia was sponsored and has finally beeen Adopted! Yipeee!!

Tiger Ranch Cats Up For Adoption Here!

Adopt one of these beautiful cats today! Click photo for Tails Wags N' At website!

Favorite Writer Quotes

whatever it meansit mattersand most of it is trueI loved every one of themand all of them...were you.~Merrit Malloy

Be the change you wishto see in the world.~Mahandas GhandiLive as if you were to die tomorrow.Learn as if you were to live forever.~Mahandas GhandiThe gospel of Thomas: “Jesus said... the Kingdom of God is inside you, and all around you, not in mansions of wood and stone. Split a piece of wood... and I am there, lift a stone... and you will find me.”~From the movie Stigmata~